Downing Street sources said that Mr Whittingdale will "sort out the BBC" ahead of the corporation's royal charter review next year, which will set out the future of the £145.50-a-year licence fee.

Senior Conservatives said they were “furious at the BBC’s coverage” of the election campaign and accused the corporation of an “unforgivable pro-Labour bias”.

Friends of Mr Whittingdale said he is at the very least likely to freeze the licence fee and could implement significant cuts.

Lord Hall, the director-general of the BBC, said in an email to staff that he corporation would approach the debate about its future with "confidence".

He said: "Quite rightly, there will be lively and robust debate about the future of the BBC and its role in public life. We should approach this debate with confidence.

"The BBC is a treasured national asset but of course it cannot be immune to change. The BBC should be prepared to be bold and inventive about its future and we should also encourage the public to have its voice in that debate.

"That is why we will be publishing our own proposals in the next few months on how the BBC can flourish in the internet age as we look forward to our Centenary."

Mr Whirttingdale will address the issue of decriminalising the licence fee amid concerns that it needs to be brought into line with civil penalties for failing to pay utility bills.

Licence fee evasion is an offence which can incur fines of up to £1,000 and a criminal record. Each year, about 60 people are jailed for TV licence fee offences, which now account for one in nine of all magistrates’ court cases.

The BBC has argued that removing the threat of criminal sanctions could see the rate of evasion double, potentially costing the BBC £200 million a year and forcing channels to close.

MPs earlier this year backed moves to decriminalise the licence fee, only for the plans to be undermined in the House of Lords.

Lord Grade of Yarmouth, a former chairman of the BBC, was one of the peers who voted against the plans, claiming that there were “dark forces at work” who want to undermine the BBC.

However, the peer told The Telegraph that he is prepared to support decriminalisation if it takes place after the charter review in 2016.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman confirmed that David Cameron "hasn't changed his views" on the need to decriminalise the licence fee.

He later added that John Whittingdale, the new culture secretary, will ensure that "viewers are getting value for money".

Philip Davies, a member of the culture select committee in the last Parliament and ally of Mr Whittingdale, accused the corporation of "dancing to Labour's tune" during the run up to the election.

He said: "During the election campaign the presenters barely even had the courtesy to hide their allegiances.

"Because the Labour Party had nothing positive to offer they tried to make it a referendum on the NHS. If you look at how much it gave to the NHS it's pretty clear they were dancing the Labour Party's tune for the long time."

Mr Davies said that Mr Whittingdale, who he spoke to within 10 minutes of his appointment, is likely to at the very least freeze the £145.50 a year cost of the licence fee.